Rejoice, Houston music fans! The Austin City Limits Music Festival is back this weekend.
Okay, we usually wouldn't celebrate a music event in a rival city, but when the two-weekend festival means we get top-tier touring talent around those dates, it's a reason to get on those dancing shoes, especially if you're a fan of alternative rock music.
Why sweat in the oppressive heat — October really is the Pluto of summer months — with 75,000 people in a field when we can pick and choose the bands we want to see, either inside an air-conditioned club or theater, or on a lawn after the sun goes down?
CultureMap's biggest, best, and most notable shows this week are as follows:
Stone Temple Pilots at Revention
It's hard not to feel bad for the three living members of Stone Temple Pilots, brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo, and Eric Kretz, after the tragic loss of their first singer, Scott Weiland, to overdose and their second singer, Chester Bennington, to suicide. The band was one of the biggest, yet most underrated acts of the '90s, serving as the melodic counterpoint to other grunge acts like Pearl Jam.
The group produced some of the best selling albums of the decade, including its 1992 debut, Core, and its fantastic follow-up, Purple. Now with new lead singer Jeff Gutt in place, STP is celebrating 25 years of the latter album and showcasing why its brand of suave alt-rock was so popular in the first place.
Stone Temple Pilots and Rival Sons play Revention Music Center, located at 520 Texas Ave., on Tuesday, October 1. Tickets are $49.50, plus fees. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
CultureMap show of the week, Pt. 1: Lizzo at Revention
If you're a Lizzo fan, get ready to shell out the big bucks. The Detroit native is the hottest ticket of the summer, going for $125 for a general admission pass after this show sold out almost immediately. It's no surprise, really.
She's only the biggest thing to hit any stage this year with the release of her breakthrough album, Cuz I Love You, and its massive summer hit, "Juice." But it's her message of body positivity, female empowerment, and immaculate flute solos that make her one of the most electric live performers going right now.
Lizzo brings the flute jams to Revention Music Center, located at 520 Texas Ave., on Friday, October 4. Tickets start at $125.23, plus fees on the resale market. Doors open at 7 pm.
CultureMap show of the week, Pt. 2: Tame Impala at White Oak
The second big show of the weekend comes thanks to the ACL Festival, as headliners Tame Impala will play a sold-out show on the lawn at White Oak Music Hall. While not as expensive to find a ticket as Lizzo, this one is getting up there to see the internationally acclaimed Australian rock outfit led by Kevin Parker.
The group first found an audience on the hipster Australian record label, Modular, alongside a roster that included Robyn, Cut Copy, and the Presets, releasing the well-received Innerspeaker in 2010, combining '60s melodies with a dash of psychedelia and modern synths.
But the act hit the big time with 2012's Lonerism, which capitalized on its sound and captivated audiences worldwide. By the time the group released 2015's Currents, it was one of the biggest bands in the world, going on to headline some of the biggest festivals, including Coachella, bringing a huge light and laser show with them. Thanks, ACL!
Tame Impala plays White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N. Main St., on Saturday, October 5. Atlin Gün opens. Tickets start at $90 on the resale market. Gates open at 7 pm.
3rd Annual Bonfire Texas Music Festival Goes to the Dogs
Looking for something a little different this weekend? A quick road trip to Rosharon, Texas, a short drive southeast of Houston, will get you a day's worth of singer-songwriters for a good cause. The 3rd Annual Bonfire Texas Music Festival is not only a vendor market but an animal rescue event starting at 1 pm, culminating with a bonfire in the evening at the Stevens and Pruett Ranch.
The day will be filled with performances, topped off by chart-topping songwriter Jesse Raub Jr. and award-winning Holly Tucker. Proceeds go back to animal rescue organizations, including Stevens and Pruett Foundation, which provides a safe haven for children and animals in need.
Jesse Raub Jr. and Holly Tucker play the 3rd Annual Bonfire Texas Music Festival at the Stevens and Pruett Ranch, located 1210 County Rd. 59, in Rosharon. Various other acts will perform. Tickets start at $15. The fun starts at 1 p.m.
CultureMap recommends: Raconteurs at Revention Music Center
The Raconteurs are back on the road again with this year's Help Us Stranger, the first album in 11 years for this supergroup consisting of Jack White, Brendan Benson, and two members of the Greenhornes. The band first formed after the dissolution of the White Stripes and immediately rocketed up the charts with the first single from 2006's Broken Boy Soldiers, "Steady As She Goes."
Consolers of the Lonely didn't have as much of an impact and each member went off to do their separate work. While White is the draw here, each member brings something to the table, creating a cohesive identity as songwriters.
The Raconteurs are at Revention Music Center, located at 520 Texas Ave., on Saturday, October 5. Hunt Sales open. Tickets start at $52.50, plus fees on the resale market. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The Wu-Tang Clan at Smart Financial
Celebrating 25 years (okay, technically 26 years) of seminal hip-hop album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the Wu-Tang Clan will descend upon Sugar Land, where surprisingly, there are a lot of tickets available for this show. Led by RZA, who parlayed his time with Wu into a healthy acting and filmmaking career, the Staten Island, New York, collective is on tour just before the series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, based on its life story, is released on Hulu.
But it's the group's groundbreaking work on the 1993 masterpiece that captured the imagination of youth culture, combining martial arts violence, deep funk, and lyrical prowess from the many members that would spin off into successful solo careers.
The Wu-Tang Clan is at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, located at 18111 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land, on Sunday, October 6. Tickets start at $25, plus fees. Show starts at 7:30 pm.
James Blake at HOB
The angelic-voiced James Blake is an unlikely hero of electronic music. Gaining traction around the same time as fellow Brits, The xx, Blake is known for dubstep inspired ballads, that he rode to critical fame, picking up the Mercury Music Prize in his native country for best album of the year for 2012's Love What Happened Here and a Grammy in 2019 for his work on the single,"King's Dead" from the Black Panther soundtrack with Kendrick Lamar.
His solo work and his delicate ballads floating on otherworldly soundscapes make him an act to see live. He's touring behind this year's Assume Form.
James Blake performs at House of Blues, located at 1204 Caroline St., on Sunday, October 6. White Reaper opens. Tickets start at $35, plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.
Jesse Raub Jr. is one of the highlights of the 3rd Annual Bonfire Texas Music Festival Gone to the Dogs on Saturday, October 5.
